Happy National Library Week!

Today is take action for libraries day.

So, I'm here to ask you:

When was the last time you visited your library? Checked out an item? Attended a program?

Libraries have SO MUCH to offer everyone!

Here's a little bit about my library usage.

I'm the best and worst library patron.

Currently I have:

102 books checked out (several of these are for storytime and library programs)

15 books on hold 

Both of these are kind of average. I check out a lot of books. 

While I read a lot of books, I don't always get to read everything I check out. 

Try to visit your library soon! It really does help.

Vacation Photos (2): Alaska

Later in the trip, we had more port stops - Ketchikan, and Victoria Canada. And I was lucky enough to see libraries in most of the cities. I missed the one in Ketchikan (the online pictures are amazing)

One of the ship's seven kitchens

A mosaic in Ketchikan

A tree in the park in Ketchikan

One of the whale benches in the park - it was a small part but beautiful 

Lumberjack Show - which was hysterical. I had a sore throat from cheering so much and I cried four times with laughter. 

Glacier Bay

Glacier Bay selfie

Glacier 

A glacier - the blues in the ice don't really pop here, but it's gorgeous.

It was a cloudy day, but beautiful. 

Leaving Glacier Bay

A Secret Garden in Victoria (not really secret but I love the idea)

Victoria

Victoria 

Heading into Chinatown in Victoria 

One of the government buildings in Victoria

The Victoria Public Library

Back in Seattle where we catch a baseball game because we knew one of the National Anthem singers. 

All in all, a great trip! 

Happy National Library Week

It's National Library Week - or as I like to call it a week.

I know things are vastly different this year in our celebrations.

But did you know that many libraries are offering digital cards if you didn't have a card?

You can use your library card to gain access to ebooks, movies, magazines, and so much more.

Many of us are also doing virtual programming. They're sharing information about the virus and activities for families to do together online. 

My library started a youtube channel where the staff has been creating videos. We've had pet week and now library week. Next week is farm week. Who knows what kind of videos we'll shoot next!

It's a different world out there, but libraries and librarians and library staff are doing their best to still connect with their patrons and still provide the services we can while keeping everyone safe!

So when America opens again and it's save, give some support to your libraries. Go in and check out a few books.

Until then, enjoy the videos.

Take Your Child to the Library Day

Art work by  Nancy Elizabeth Wallace

Today's the day - the 9th annual Take Your Child to the Library Day

It's celebrated around the country.

Take some time and visit your local library. Check out all they have to offer.

Although we love books, libraries aren't just about books anymore.

Do they check out cake pans? Snow Shoes? Board Games? Museum Passes? Tools?

 What kind of programs do they host? Movie Nights? Board Game Nights? Cooking Classes? Wildlife Presentations? 

Summer might be our busiest time of year, but host programs all year round. And we like to see you all year round.

If you don't have a library card, it's easy to sign up. Just bring something official with your address on it. Funding for libraries depend upon the number of people using the library (Checking out materials and coming to programs) and the amount of cardholders. Every little bit helps. 

So head to the library today and see what amazing things your library does!

Take some photos of the library and use the official hashtag: #TakeYourChildtotheLibraryDay 

Take Your Child to the Library Day

Today all around the world, people are celebrating libraries.

Special programs and events are happening just for children.

Libraries are showing off their programs, their books, and all that they do.

Take advantage of it!

Libraries are SO much more than books.

You can check movies, video games, board games, cake pans, museum passes, and so much more.

Check with your local library to see what they're offering.

If you don't have a library card, it's easy to sign up for one.

And it really helps with library statistics - which is how we get funding. Every little bit helps.

So head out today to support your local library.

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Havens to Visit

This week's topic is bookstores and libraries you'd like to visit. I'm quite lucky as I've been to lots of different libraries. I make it a point to stop by (if possible) when I'm on vacation. 

- meme from That Artsy Reader Girl

Bookstores:

Ripped Bodice

Poisoned Pen

Books of Wonder

Libraries:

Library of Congress

Chicago's U Media Center (Awesome teen center)

Charlotte Mecklenburg Library (Awesome teen center)

Bodleian Library (Oxford)

Fictional Bookstore:

Flourish and Blotts Bookseller

The Shop Around the Corner

Library No Longer Around:

Library of Alexandria 

Summer Reading Program at Your Local Library

Joining the Summer Reading Program at your local library is important for several reasons.:

For Your Child:

1. It helps prevent summer slide, reading just six books over the summer truly helps.

2. It helps give children time to read for fun - something they need to cement their love of reading. Let them choose to read whatever they think looks fun. 

3. There are TONS of programs at your library this summer - programs targeted for all ages.

For Parents:

1. Children model their behavior after parents, which means they need to see their parents reading. All of their parents. It doesn't matter what you're reading (although it's harder for them to recognize you're reading articles online). Let them see you reading; let them see you picking out books. I read before bed every night, but if your kids don't see you reading, you're missing a huge opportunity. Share your passion for reading with your kids.

2. Libraries have programs for adults too. (My library has a program where you read a book and get to pick out a free book. We also have weekly raffle prizes to local businesses)

3. Talk about books, authors, illustrators, and libraries - not in school based way but in general everyday conversation.

4. Read together 

5. Read aloud - it's fun for everyone. Plus you can talk about the story together.

For Your Library:

1. Summer is the busiest time of year for the library.

2. We count on summer to coast us through the lighter months (Winter in New England) when people don't come to the library as much.

3. We want you to come to our programs because we're hosting them for you.

4. But we want you to check out books; we need our circulation statistics to be amazing. 

5. Our summer numbers help boost us over the edge when it's budget time.

6. We want to help readers find books that they will love to read

7. Say hello to us, because we love it when we recognize library families. 

Also, some libraries have summer lunch for kids 18 and under, which helps replace the free lunch from school. If your library has it, it's available for ALL kids, no questions asked.

So head to your local library this summer, changes are they are doing amazing things!

Design Thinking Overview

photo credit: http://www.uvm.edu/~ekorsuns/design-thinking/images/design_thinking_process_diagram.png

 Yesterday I attended a workshop by Linda Braun about Design Thinking for libraries.

Here's what I learned 

Design thinking consists of five steps as show above:
Empathize: listen to your patrons, learn from them, and trust them
Define: Identify a problem
Ideate: let those creative juices fly
Prototype: Create a sample
Test: Will this idea work?

The most important part of the process is Empathizing. 

We all think we might know what our patrons what, but without talking to them, how will you really know? How will you know what's best for the community if you only see people inside the library?

Rethinking our questions to How might we...?

Design thinking can be done with:
Staff members
teens
community members
families
schools
town organizations
nonprofit organizations

To learn more, check out the website

I'm looking forward to starting this process. 

Have you done this in your library?
How did it go?

Review: Ink and Bone

* First in a new series *

In a different world, the library of Alexandria survived. The library governs the people, selecting knowledge to filter to the people.

People are no longer allowed to own books and the libraries have scribes creating the books. While the printing press was designed, the library disposed of Gutenberg and any one else with a similar idea.

Jess's father works as a book smuggler. He decides that Jess's value lies in his future - at the library as a spy. He forces Jess to take the entrance exam. Jess passes he exam and heads off for basic training.

And that's where everything changes...Jess isn't sure who to trust. The Library's orders seem out of place. Jess knows he'll have to use all his wits to get himself out of the mess.

My Thoughts: I really liked the idea of this book and I enjoyed the book. It took me about 50 pages to get into in and then I was hooked.

I loved the idea that knowledge was power. And whoever controlled the knowledge controlled the world.

I really liked the differences between those in training with Jess. I liked the romances, the friendships, and the enemies. I liked how they all had to come together eventually and learn to trust each other. 

I liked the alternate history and the what if questions.

I really liked Scholar Wolfe - he grew on me as the book continued.

I can't wait to see what happens next.

Cover Thoughts: Interesting - I love the books on the bottom
Source: My Library

Tween Tuesday Review: Escape from Mr Lemoncello's Library

Mr Lemoncello made a fortune in game design - board games and video games. Now he's giving back to the community by building a fantastic library as their old library was torn down 12 years ago.

He's also giving the 12 year olds in the community the chance to win a spot for a library lock-in. The select few will gain entrance to the library before the public sees it and be able to participate in a contest to see who can find an alternative way out of the library (besides the front doors.)

Games, riddles, and puzzles will be used to solve the answer. At first, Kyle isn't interested, but as soon as he learns more about the event, he's eager for a chance to participate.  Soon he and other classmates are locked into the building.

Can they come up with a way out? Who will be clever enough to solve the ultimate puzzle?

My Thoughts: I loved this book - for the obviously bookish reasons, but also for the excellent story. As soon as I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it. I loved the bookish jokes, riddles, and the general love for books portrayed. I loved the puzzles and the clues the kids had to figure out. What an opportunity - it sounds amazing! Plus, the technology combined with new ideas for libraries was impressive. I would love to visit this library. I really liked Kyle - he was tricky, smart, and creative. I found Haley entertaining and clever. All the kids seemed clever - one wasn't too clever, one was easily manipulated, and one wasn't very nice at all. A perfectly wonderful nerdy book about the love of books and libraries!

Cover Thoughts: I get it - but I don't like it.
Source: My Library

Interesting Idea: This book talks about the most famous Children's Librarian in the world. I started thinking about famous librarians and of course I came up with Nancy Pearl, but I couldn't come up with the most famous Children's Librarian (or YA Librarian). But I love the idea of it!

Oreo Commercial: Libraries

A whisper fight - Really?

I hated this commercial when I first watched it. All my twitter friends were talking about it with mixed feelings.

Didn't see it? Here it is:

First: Libraries aren't quiet anymore
You're destroying a library in the name of humor, aren't libraries destroyed enough with budget cuts? 
My eyes were hurt by all those books flying around. 
No librarian (also - way to be stereotypical about your librarian- couldn't you have found a better cardigan than that?) would stand by and let that happen

If you wanted to bring more attention to libraries - there's a better way.

BBAW: What Book Blogging Means to Me

I first started blogging on Myspace. Remember when that was cool? I wanted to showcase books we had coming into the library and I also wanted to be able to keep track of the books I read. My early reviews weren't really reviews - but I was highlighting the books I read and sharing them with my followers.

On Friday October 3rd 2008 I made the change to Blogger and I've been here every since. I've updated my background - learned a little bit about HTML. This past summer, I had it custom designed by a fellow book blogger ICEY BOOKS.

*Blogging means that I know about books months ahead of time, which is perfect for my job.
*Blogging means that I can say to a patron, I haven't read that book, but I've heard good things about it - which is awesome because I'll never be able to read all the books I want to read. Yet, I can read and share what others think.
*Blogging means that I have an outlet to talk about books and to share my thoughts about books. I may not have the most followers or the most comments, but I blog for me.
*Blogging means gushing over the books that I love. I don't usually post about books I don't finish or books that I did finish but were mediocre. Thus, I my review tend to have the word love in them.
*Blogging means a community of people who understand teen literature and/or teen librarianship and I can go to those communities if I have a question (or ten)

I love the community of book bloggers - how they share their knowledge and information. I'm happy to be apart of it!

20 Personal Libraries

Did you see the article? I love looking at libraries.  While I admit most of these libraries are attractive - they also give off an academic vibe to me.


These two are my favorites:

 

There are tons of books here and a great staircase

 

I love the windows on this one

  Check out the rest here

Why I LOVE my Library

Otis Library is one of my favorite libraries in the world - and as a librarian, I make it a point to visit other libraries wherever I go. I'm one of the lucky people who LOVES my job. The Norwich Bulletin has been running several letters to the editor and I'm compelled to add my thoughts.

Reasons why I LOVE my library:

I LOVE my library because I'm a HUGE reader. Last year I read 300 books. This year, I'm hoping to read a book a day. Due to my love of book blogs, I have a crazy long list of books I want to read. No one library can possibly purchase all of these books, so it's great to be able to have them shipped to my library. This is possible due to C-CAR - which is an AMAZING program. Books from all over Connecticut come to Otis Library for our patrons and we ship books to other libraries for their patrons. It's a Win-Win for everyone - especially me. Right now, I have roughly 40 items checked out and another 30 items on hold.

I'm a library lover. I bought a house in Norwich BECAUSE of the library. When the library completed their renovation, I scored the most amazing job here. I'm head of the Young Adult Department. I'm responsible for ordering teen books, hosting teen programs, advocating for teens, and staffing the desk in the teen section. It's the best job in the world.

I think Otis Library is one of the best libraries in Eastern Connecticut. We have a great big building with program rooms, nooks and crannies of different collections, and it's always filled with people.

However in order to maintain our standing as one of the best libraries in Eastern Connecticut, we need funding. The past two years, the library budget's been hit. We've lost money for the collection, we've lost hours, and we've closed for a two week furlough in the summer for the past two years. While we've tried to maintain the same services, it's impossible. We need more from the City of Norwich.

We're more than a community center, more than a center for information, more than a place to grab the latest DVD, CD, bestselling book. We're all of these things combined. We're the place people come to print out their resumes. We're the place teens come to type their papers. We're the place mom brings their children for story time to help build their child's social and developmental skills. People come here to learn, to have fun, to gain knowledge, to learn new skills, to get out of the cold, and to relax with friends.

The Otis Library is the fundamental cornerstone of the community.

Stumbled Across this too: So AWESOME

HOLLY BLACK has a hidden library in her house. How cool is that? Check out more fabulous pictures here.

Thanks for bookshelves of doom 4 posting.